Wednesday, February 1, 2017

HISTORIC: Parliament Backs Brexit Vote In Landslide Victory

Members
of Parliament have voted by a majority of 384 in favor of triggering
Article 50, giving a landslide victory to Brexit supporters. This will
allow Theresa May to get Brexit negotiations under way.

Image via Reuters

Britain’s departure from the EU moved a step closer today, when MPs voted overwhelmingly in favor of the government’s Brexit bill, by 498 to 114 votes.

The
Scottish National Party and the Liberal Democrat leadership opposed the
bill, while 47 Labour MPs and Tory ex-chancellor Ken Clarke rebelled.

One MP was heard to shout “Suicide” when the result of the vote was announced.

After
two days of debate, MPs voted to push the European Union (Notification
of Withdrawal) Bill through to the next stage. After the bill fully
clears parliament, Prime Minister Theresa May can trigger Article 50 and begin formal negotiations with the EU.

This
news comes after it was reported that May’s government lost a Supreme
Court case earlier this month on whether she had the power to trigger a
breakaway from the EU without consulting parliament.

The bill now faces further scrutiny in the Commons and the House of Lords before it can become law.

The
prime minister has set a deadline of 31 March for invoking Article 50
of the Lisbon Treaty, getting official talks with the EU started.